The present invention relates generally to a device for lifting or lowering and inverting a railway wheel, and more specifically to a rotating device that receives, lifts and inverts a railway wheel.
In the casting of railway wheels, the wheels undergo a series of finishing operations after casting. These operations may include heat treating, rough-grinding, sprue cutting, magnetic particle and ultrasonic testing and finish grinding. The wheels are moved to these different operation stations throughout the foundry by a roller conveyor system. At several steps throughout the conveyor system it is necessary to invert the wheel, i.e., to change the side of the wheel which contacts the rollers so that the other side faces upwards for grinding, inspection or similar operations. Further, at several steps throughout the conveyor system it is necessary to raise or to lower the wheel to a different level conveyor. At certain steps in the conveyor system it is necessary to both invert and to raise or lower the wheel. Such inverting has been accomplished by a separate inverting machine, which receives the wheel from the roller conveyor, holds the wheel at top and bottom, and then rotates to invert the wheel. The subsequent raising or lowering of the wheel is accomplished by an elevator which receives the wheel from one roller conveyor, and then is raised or lowered by conventional hydraulic or electric elevator mechanisms to deliver the wheel to a different level conveyor. The elevator must return to the first level to receive a second wheel.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for inverting and lifting or alternatively lowering a railway wheel from one conveyor level to another conveyor level.